How many pitches is too many?

[StealthBuster]

I dont think a 100 is a high end that is only 15 pitches per inning...most pitchers in high school have been throwing since january so a month or 2 into practice they should be ready now to go 7

 

With all due respect RDM. What number are you sugesting? 20-25/ inning? If so, pitch count is not the issue,control is.

[StealthBuster]

What number are you sugesting RDM? 20-25/ inning. If so, pitch count is not the issue,control is.

 

You show me a kid at ANY age thats throwing 20+ pitches / in for 7in. and I'll show you a kid thats a 1st baseman that USED to pitch.

[riverdaleman]

Amen. The "Weekend Warrior Coaches" have hurt more arms than HS coaches ever will. Most HS coaches have a set rotation of 4-5 days and stick to it.

Dr. William Andrews, he's the Dr. all the pros go to for surgery says " No curve balls till the boy is shaving." (15-16 yrs. old). Change ups are much more affective at a younger age, with little stress on the elbow & arm.

 

 

Most HS pitchers should not go 7 innings.

 

i dont think there is anything wrong with a high school pitcher going 7 innings...

[StealthBuster]

i dont think there is anything wrong with a high school pitcher going 7 innings...

 

I think HS pitchers @ 15-20 / inn should NEVER go 7.

[riverdaleman]

I think HS pitchers @ 15- 20 / inn should NEVER go 7.

 

I dont think it should be the norm but to say never i think is a little far but on occasion i can see where this will happen i agree that it should not happen a lot

[ksgovols]

I think that you might push the envelope every now and then in a close game provided you do the right conditioning on the front end and the right treatment on the back end with days rest to compensate for the extra pitches etc. I also agree with youth coaches ruining arms at a younger age but I'm not about to give the high school and summer ball coaches a reprieve. The youth coach didn't cause the kid at BGA to have Tommy John surgery before his senior year. Make it idiot proof! Don't leave it up to judgement. Put in the dang rule!

 

When the time comes the high school coach is not going to weigh the chance at state against the kid's future. He's going to go for the win and hope for the best. The kid is not going to tell the coach he's done when he's 4 outs away from winning the game. The parents are not going to step up and tell their kid or his coach that they don't think it's such a good idea that the kid pitch anymore. They're just not.

 

What you do is get a group of medical and baseball experts to render an opinion, you set the rule on the side of caution and you play under those rules. And THEN you hope for the best. Heck, I know college kids that threw their arms out on scholarship. It happens.

 

This isn't rocket science guys. Do the right thing.

[Mwalls14]

i dont think there is anything wrong with a high school pitcher going 7 innings...

 

 

 

As a summer coach who has dealt with alot of sore arms, I would have to disagree with a few of the earlier posts where people commented that high school coaches are not the problem. I'm not going to generalize, because there are plenty of coaches who handle things properly.

 

But I have seen alot of coaches in the nashville area that ride their pitchers to death. They are committed to having that pitcher throw seven innings, doing whatever it takes to get the win. And I think that's really irresponsible. Professional pitchers aren't expected to throw 9 innings ever start. It's rare. In fact, throwing seven innings isn't always a given. That's why they have the stat "quality start". If professionals aren't expected to throw 7 innings every start, why do we expect that from our high school players?

 

If professional pitchers don't regularly throw 120 pitches, why should a high schooler? This is my point. Too many high school coaches (it happens in the summer too), are so fixated on winning that they overthrow players. If you play in a district where you are the number 1, Monday starter, you don't need to start a game on Friday.

 

Too many coaches, who have players with strong arms, have them go out there and throw and throw and throw. Instead of teaching how to pitch to contact and let the defense work, they coach for the strikeout. It's a bad philosophy and it gets players hurt.

 

I have a loose philosophy. If in a good inning, a pitcher throws 15 pitches. Challenges the hitters, throws a few balls. That equates to 7 innings and 105 pitches. Had good stuff, everything went well. If you're under that, you had a fantastic game. If you're over, maybe you struggled hitting spots or locating the fastball. You get someone in there who is on that day. You don't fix problems on the mound. That's what bullpen sessions are for.

 

Guys who throw hard seem to always have higher pitch counts. They challenge more, get more foul balls and throw more balls. You have to improve control with that pitcher, or limit his innings.

 

To answer RDM's comment, there's no problem at all with a kid throwing seven innings. But it has to be a priviledge he earned by battling all game long. It should never be an expectancy.

 

There's nothing in this game that bothers me more than idiot high school coaches that put winning a game ahead of player safety and longevity

[StealthBuster]

I'm no expert either but I know that my sons travel team Coach will not let a pitcher throw more that 80. I assume that he know what he is doing since he played Pro Baseball and he was a Pitcher.

 

Sounds like a Coach wanting to win a little too bad!!!

 

Once you've spend 2-3 hrs at Vandy for an arm that's overworked by some color coordinated Travelball Coach, who wants a trophy for the office, you will pay more attention to pitch count.

[StealthBuster]

I dont think it should be the norm but to say never i think is a little far but on occasion i can see where this will happen i agree that it should not happen a lot

 

We are in agreement RDM. But I still say NEVER to a 7 inn 20+/inn outing.

[riverdaleman]

mwalls my comment was most there are some high school coaches that you are refferring too and that is a shame but most stick to a 4 or 5 game rotaion before their guy pitches again we have some parents on our team that thinks their kid should pitch more than what he does LOL but i think in the end they will appreciate that the coach hasnt pushed him...

[Mwalls14]

mwalls my comment was most there are some high school coaches that you are refferring too and that is a shame but most stick to a 4 or 5 game rotaion before their guy pitches again we have some parents on our team that thinks their kid should pitch more than what he does LOL but i think in the end they will appreciate that the coach hasnt pushed him...

 

 

Yeah, I wasn't attacking what you said. And I know you guys run your program the right way. There are just too many good pitchers that throw twice a week 7 innings. I just hate coaches that ride on players without taking the time to develop them. Coaches are there to work for them, not the other way around, you know?

[Tennesseesportsfan]

I am amazed that more hasn't been brought up about the curve ball. Statistics show that the curve ball, slider or whatever you want to call it, cause more arm problems than pitch count. Although I am in agreement that pitchers should not be over worked I disagree with some statements. Even though a pitcher has been working since January, throwing in the bullpen is not the same as throwing in a game. IMO pitch count should be kept low and progress higher as the season goes on. Also the number of breaking balls should be kept low. Most coaches have a kid that throws mostly breaking balls, IMO these are the at risk kids. To the parents of the kid who threw 160 pitches, have a talk with your coach.